Rail joint



W. WEBB.

RAIL 10mm I APPLICATION H LED APR- 8, 192]- WW1 M)? Patented Oct. 24, 1922..

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JOHN W. WEBB. OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS.

RAIL JOINT.

Application filed Avril 8,

To cZZ'QchO mit may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN W- \Vnen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Joints, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to fish'plates used for reinforcing the joints between the rails of railway tracks, and may be regarded as a development of or improvement upon the fish plate structure described in Patent No, 1.3?1..5S5, issued to me on March 15, 1921. The object of my invention is to provide means for securing the fish plates to the rails which shall be particularly effective in causing the plates to grip the rails tightly, which shall be capable of the readiest. possible manipulation in applying them to the rails or tightening them up in case the joint should become loose, and which in general, shall be effective and desirable for accomplishing the purposes for which the devices are provided. To these ends I have de signed and invented the novel fish plate securingmeans shown inthe accompanying drawings and hereinafter described, the essential element of my invention being recited in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a plan view illustrating the manner in which my novel fish plate structure is applied to the joint at the meeting ends of two rails of a railway track; Fig. 2 is a section on the line of Fig. 1. looking in the directionot the arrow; Fig. 3 is a side view of the parts showin in Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a detail view showing in perspective one of the wedge bars of the device. detached; Fig. 5 is a perspective of a curved clamping hook of which there are two pairs at each rail joint; and Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified form of the clamping means.

The same reference character indicates the same part in all the figures of the drawing.

The fish plates 1 of my device are formed substantially as in my prior patent above mentioned, and each consists 01" a vertical top portion 2 adapted to extend from the under side ot' the tread of the rail to the top surface of: the base thereof. an inclined portion 3 extending beyond the rail base, and a vertical depending flange which is formed with a pair of openings 5 having along their bottom edges faces 6 inclined upwardly toward the center of the plate.

1921.. Serial No. 459,547.

As shown, the fish plates and rails are formed with registering holes arranged to receive the usual crossbolts 7, the holes in the plates, or in the rails, being preferably slightly elongated to permit expansion and contraction of the rails longitudinally arising vtroin changes in temperature. It may here be explained that the depending flanges 4: of a pair of fish plates at a railjoint will be disposed between the usual ties 8 of the track. The openings 6 of the fish plates are adapted to receive a pair of wedge-bars 9, extending transversely of the plates and rails, and arranged one on each side of the rail joint. These wedge-bars (see 4:) are provided with notches 10 which are formed on the outer faces of each pair adjacent their ends and are adapted to hook over the central portion of curved clamping hooks 11 (see 5) forked to straddle such bars and pivoted to the opposite numbers 1212 of a. turnbuckle having a central right-and-left threaded nut 13. The arrangement and construction of the parts is such that when the nut 13 is turned to draw upon the pair of clamping hooks 11 at the corresponding ends of a pair of wedge-bars to draw them together, the engaged central portion of each hook will fulcrum upon the end portion of the wedgebar at the outer side of the notch 10 and the free outer end of such hook will react upon the depending flange at of the fish plate to press it towards the rail. The two turnbuckles on the opposite sides of a joint are tightened up equally, as near as may be, and as the corresponding ends of the bars are drawn together the outward stresses of the two clamping hooks at the opposite ends of each wedge-bar are balanced.

It will be understood that by tightening up the bolts 7 the fish plates will be securely clamped to the abutting ends of a pair of rails. and that by tightening the turnbuckle members to draw the wedge bars of a pair towards each other, the lower faces of said bars will ride upwardly on the lower wedge faces 6 of the openings 5 in the fish plates until the bars bring up against the lower faces of the two rails and are firmly jammed against them.

In the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 6, the clamping hooks 11 are omitted and the notches of the wedge-bars are engaged directly by the hook ends of the turnbuckle members 1d.

I claim:

1. In means for securing together the adjacent ends of rails in a ailway track, a pair of fish plates having openings formed with wedge faces at the bottom thereof, a pair of transverse wedge bars engaging said openings and arranged to cooperate with said wedge faces and with the base of the rails one bar extending under each rail at ajoint, a pair of clamping hooks respectively engaging the end portions of, said. wedge bars on a given side of the rail and also engaging the adjacent fish plate and clamping means connected to said hooks and arranged to rock them upon said wedge bars, whereby said hooks will react upon said fish plate to press it toward said rail.

2. Means for securing together the adjacent ends of rails in a railway track comprising a pair of fish plates having openings formed with wedge faces at the bottom thereof, a pair of transverse wedge bars engaging said openings and arranged to cooperate with said. wedge faces and the base of the rails, one bar extending under each rail at a joint, clamping hooks arranged to engage the end portions of said wedge bars and also said fish plates and clamping means connecting the two members of the pairs of hooks which respectively engage the two fish plates, said clamping means being arranged to rock said hooks upon said wedge bars, whereby the hooks at the opposite ends of each wedge bar will react upon the opposite fish plates'to press them towards the rail. 7 I

3. A rail joint structure according to claim 1 in which the ends of the wedge bars are formed with notches and the clamping hooks are arcuate members having their are portions ar 'anged to engage the notches of the bars.

4. A rail joint structure according to claiml in which the ends of said wedge bars are formed with notches and the clamping hooks are arcuate members forked to receive and engage the notched ends of the wedge bars.

5. A rail joint structure according to claim 1 in which the ends of said. wedge bars are formed with notches and the clamping hooks are arcuate members forked to receive and engage the notched ends of the wedge bars the forked ends being pivoted to said clamping means and the opposite ends bearing upon said fish plate.

6. A rail joint structure according to claim 1 in which the ends of said wedge bars are formed with notches and the clamping hooks are arcuate members forked to receive and engage the notched ends of the wedge bars, and in whichv said clamping means consists of a turnbuckle having its end members pivoted to the forked ends of said clamping hooks.

T. In means for securing together the adjacentends of rails in a railway track, a pair of fish plates having openings formed with wedgefaces at the bottom thereof, a pair of transverse wedge bars engaging said openings and arranged to cooperate with said wedge faces and with the base of the rails, the end port-ions ,of said wedge bars being notched, and turnbuckle clamping means including end members arranged to engage said notches of the wedge bars.

8. In means for securing together the adjacent ends of rails in a railway track, apair of fish plates having openings formed with wedge faces at the bottom thereof, a pair of transverse wedge bars engaging said openings and arranged to cooperate with said wedge faces and with the base of the rails, the end portions of said wedge bars being notched, and turnbuckle clamping means including hook end members arranged to hook over the notched ends of the wedge bars.

JOHN w. WEBB. 

